Two minor wildfires on central Vancouver Island, including one west of Parksville, were quickly held by Coastal Fire Centre crews. (BC Wildfire Service)

By Alex Rawnsley

fire season

Pair of central Island wildfires quickly held by Coastal Fire Centre crews

May 29, 2023 | 12:12 PM

NANAIMO — Quick reporting and quicker action by local crews have avoided two fire starts from growing much further.

BC Wildfire Service crews were alerted to smoke north of the Englishman River, near Coombs around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 28.

Julia Caranci, information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, told NanaimoNewsNOW it measured approximately 0.2 hectares or roughly 2,000 square metres in size.

“We’ve just updated the status of that fire to be under control. Nine firefighters are working on that fire today along with a water tender and some help with our industry partners.”

The fire is suspected to be human-caused.

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Caranci added despite being under control, watches will continue.

“We still have crews on it and we are patrolling at that point…and putting out hot spots until the fire can be declared out.”

Also held is a small fire which started on Monday, May 29 near the western edge of Sproat Lake, outside Port Alberni. Caranci said it was a campfire burned into a stump and is considered a spot fire.

The situation was also quickly handled and Coastal Fire Centre crews also consider the site “being held”.

Both fires however are a tangible wake-up call to Island residents about an early start to the fire season.

The fire danger rating for Vancouver Island is high for the northern half, as well as pockets around Nanaimo. Smaller sections of ‘moderate’ are listed for parts of inland central Vancouver Island and the southeastern edge.

“We have had very little rainfall within the last couple of weeks on Vancouver Island particularly, it is quite dry. We have had 21 fires on Vancouver Island so far this year so we are definitely continuing to ask the public to be extremely careful and cautious if they are going to be having a campfire.”

Campfires must measure under a half metre by half a metre with a fuel guard around it. The site must be completely extinguished and cool to the touch before leaving.

Caranci said the Coastal Fire Centre is monitoring their indices “on a daily basis” for whether or not to enact a campfire ban.

Meanwhile, evacuations continue in the province’s northeast with the Donnie Creek wildfire charring an additional 275 square kilometres over the weekend.

The fire, approximately 160 kilometres north of Fort St. John, remains out of control and is estimated to have burned a total of 1,575 square kilometres of trees and bush since it was sparked by lightning on May 12.

Evacuation orders were issued Sunday by both the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and the Peace River Regional District for remote areas primarily used by oil and gas industry infrastructure and camps.

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